However, it stands to reason that at
some stage, I must have, but have not been aware of it.
The subject is one growing in awareness,
but still one miss understood by many, myself included.
What I do know is this is a soul
destroying, life destructing, family deteriorating subject and 110 lives cease
to physically exist each year, while countless other lives suffer lifelong
trauma.
The subject is Domestic Violence.
In Brisbane on 3rd May at
5.30pm a candle lighting ceremony will take place followed at 6 pm by the start
of a 110 kilometre team relay, each kilometre symbolic of a life lost each year
to Domestic Violence.
There are associated 3 k and 10 events from 6am on the morning of 4 May, coinciding with the conclusion of the 12 hour 110 k relay.
The event is to raise funds.
As important as raising funds is, I can’t
help but feel raising awareness of this horrific act furthering education, and teaching
empowerment is of almost equal importance.
I urge as many people as possible to
come along to the candle lighting event, or join in the activities on the
morning of 4 May.
More importantly though, I urge you to
bring along your family, your children no matter what age. I encourage you to
use this event as a means for having a conversation with your children about
Domestic Violence and begin the empowering process to help equip them for dealing
with this in their futures. Chances are many will be exposed to Domestic Violence,
if not directly, then via a friend, colleague or associate.
Let us start to build the skills of
empowerment so our children can join the movement to first slow the escalation
of Domestic Violence events and then reduce and eliminate this horrific social disease.
Imagine bringing along your 6, 8 or 10
year son or daughter and explaining the significance of the 110 kilometres, or
110 candles. Enter the 3 kilometre event as a family exercise and talk about
what domestic violence is and the options to address it should they ever be
confronted by it.
Move forward to when your child is now
15 years of age and progressing through maturity. We can all remember our
teenage years and the reliance we place upon our friends. Imagine your son or
daughter becomes aware of bruising on the body of a friend, or conversation
reveals violent acts in the home.
The education you provided your child
using the Darkness to Daylight event as the conduit to do so, could easily
result in them supporting their 15 year old friend to take action, seek support
and to not be alone.
Empowering your children through
education could literally save a physical life. Literally save their own life.
More details about this event can be
found here:
My personal involvement is as a member
of a team running the 110 kilometres.
We are also fundraising and if you can’t
come down but want to participate, here is our fund raising link (feel free to
select my name too - Colin Morley)
One final request, if you are out and
about on the night of Wednesday 3 May, can’t sleep and want to do something or
you like the idea of participating and supporting a great endeavour in the late
of night or small morning hours, come on down to the Southbank
Cultural Forecourt, look for the QSuper annexe/tent.
One more thing, feel free
to bring me a coffee – Long Black please.
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